Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars
Most store-bought "healthy" chocolate bars contain hidden sugars, palm oil, and preservatives. This homemade Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar recipe is a healthier, cheaper alternative. You'll learn how to make airy nougat without corn syrup, a luscious date-based caramel, and perfectly tempered chocolate. Plus, there are vegan and sugar-free variations for customization.
Ingredients
- Nougat Layer
- ½ cup honey
- 2 egg whites or ½ cup aquafaba for vegan
- ½ cup powdered erythritol
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Date Caramel
- 1 cup Medjool dates pitted
- ¼ cup water
- ½ tbsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tbsp arrowroot starch for smoother texture
- Chocolate Coating
- 10 oz dark chocolate 70-85% cocoa
- Recommended brands: Valrhona, Ghirardelli, Callebaut, Guittard
- Peanut Layer
- ¾ cup raw peanuts
- Dry-roast at 325°F for 15 minutes, lightly salt if desired
Instructions
- Make the Date Caramel
- Soak dates in hot water with ½ tbsp baking soda for 20 minutes.
- Drain and blend with almond butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
- (Pro Tip: Layer the caramel between parchment sheets if not using immediately to prevent browning.)
- Prepare the Nougat
- Whip room-temperature egg whites (or aquafaba) until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate pan, heat honey to 250°F (hard-ball stage).
- Slowly fold in powdered erythritol into the whipped egg whites.
- Spread nougat evenly in a prepared pan.
- Temper the Chocolate
- Melt 75% of the dark chocolate to 115°F, then add the remaining 25% chopped chocolate to bring it down to 82°F.
- Spread a thin test layer on foil—it should set glossy and firm within 3 minutes.
- Assemble the Bars
- Once nougat is set, pour date caramel over it and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle roasted peanuts evenly over the caramel.
- Coat with tempered chocolate on top.
- Freeze each layer for 20 minutes before adding the next to maintain separation.
- Once set, cut into bars using a heated chef’s knife for clean edges.
Notes
Make sure your nougat sets right by heating the honey syrup to 250°F. Keep caramel smooth by stirring well and wiping the pan’s sides. You can use the seed method to temper chocolate so it stays glossy and firm. Besides this, let each layer set for 20 minutes before adding the next.